Why is water leaking into my Kia Telluride near the sun visor?

Short answer: When water shows up on the headliner or drips near a sun visor on a 2020–2022 Telluride, owners on Telluride Forum often trace it to the panoramic sunroof drain tubes (clogged or disconnected) or to a poor windshield seal from the factory. The leak can show up in a thunderstorm at highway speed or under a car-wash wand. Dealers sometimes say they cannot recreate it — video helps.

Symptom: Wet headliner near a visor pivot, water on a passenger's leg with windows up, or a stream of water during a car wash at the windshield corner.

What to check first

1. Open the sunroof and find the drain holes at the front corners. Pour a little water in each and watch under the car for flow. No flow means a clog.
2. Try compressed air carefully in the drains (owners warn not to blow so hard you disconnect a tube).
3. Photograph or video the leak for the dealer — several owners said the shop could not recreate it until they had proof.
4. Ask the dealer to check windshield urethane/caulk if drains are clear. Some owners got a windshield reseal or replacement.
5. Check door and roof-rail seals if the wet spot is lower on the A-pillar or dash.

Likely causes

1. Clogged or disconnected sunroof drain tubes. On Telluride Forum, replies pointed to front sunroof drains and tubing that can clog or come off right where visor leaks appear.
2. Windshield seal / factory caulk gap. Owners reported water at the top windshield corner; dealers replaced windshields after finding incomplete robot caulk paths.
3. Door or roof-rail weatherstrip leak. Less common in these threads, but seals were discussed when the wet area was not at the visor.

What it usually costs

Clearing drains is often a low-cost or DIY job. Dealer water tests and windshield reseals are warranty items when the truck is still covered; out of warranty a windshield job varies widely by shop.

Is it safe to keep driving?

A water leak is not usually an immediate crash risk, but wet electronics, mildew, and soaked airbags/headliners are real concerns. Dry the cabin and fix the source. Verify with a mechanic.

DIY or shop?

DIY for drain checks and careful clearing. Dealer for windshield and headliner work.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• No water-leak safety recall stood out in the threads we opened for this exact visor drip. Kia has issued other Telluride sunroof-related service information for mechanism/deflector issues — ask the dealer by VIN.
• NHTSA complaints: 332 keyword-matched complaints for Kia Telluride 2020–2022 (of 1,470 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-19; keywords: leak, water, sunroof, drain, cabin, visor, wet).

What owners report

• In Rain into Interior - passenger sun visor on Telluride Forum, a 2022 EX owner got water at the passenger visor in a highway thunderstorm with the sunroof closed. Replies pointed to sunroof drains and seals and said warranty documentation with photos mattered.
• In Leak when in car wash, a 2020 EX owner saw a stream at the far-right visor under the wash wand. Dealers sometimes could not recreate it; other owners got windshields replaced after incomplete factory caulk, and members again mentioned sunroof drain tubes.

My take

My advice as a former detailer and lot tech: before I blame the windshield, I water-test the sunroof drains. A disconnected drain dumps water right into the A-pillar and visor area, and it looks mysterious until you pour water in the tray.

Vehicle focus: 2020–2022 Kia Telluride with panoramic sunroof (visor-area cabin leaks).

Safety / mechanic note

Water in the cabin can damage wiring and promote mold. Dry it out and find the entry point. Verify with a mechanic.